Bit the bullet...

[sfa]

First make sure your heart rate is no more than 89 bpm. If it is higher, try some deep breathing or calming meditation to slow it down.

Second, say a brief prayer to Loki, the trickster god, and make an offering (I usually just sprinkle some water from my water bottle, but if I remember it I get better results with Nuun) to ensure a safe experience. Alternately, you can say a prayer to the Madonna del Ghisallo, the patron saint of bicycling, but you have to do the whole rosary if you really want it to work and that just takes so long.

Third, check over your entire bicycle to make sure everything is properly tightened, lubed, and inflated. Remove any speck of dirt or grit from your pedals and cleats. This is critical. One tiny piece of dirt and you'll be thrown from your bike and squished like a bug.

Fourth, straddle your bike and psych yourself up a little bit by telling yourself that Floyd Landis does this all the time and he's a total ***, so if he can do it, surely you can.

Finally, read someone else's advice because I've never ridden clipless in my life. The Floyd Landis thing might work for me, though.

Good luck!

The Loki thing might not hurt too.

Sarah

[TrekTheKaty]

I've been doing it for years, and some days, one shoe won't go (sometimes the cleats just need to be adjusted). The harder I try, the less my shoes want to clip in. Stop. Take a cleansing breath. Gentle pressure while gently moving your foot around to find the right spot (pushing harder doesn't usually help). A a few "Ohms" don't hurt It's kind of an art, I guess.